Reckless Perfection
by Hopeless Resistance
Summary: Angie Harper has always been seen as an outsider. No one in all of Storybrooke seems to understand her. Except for one person. Enter Jefferson.


_Laughter rang through the forest as I ran. I realized it was my laughter, and the laughter of a man, and a small child. Breathlessly, I hid behind a tree and tried not to giggle to loudly, lest they hear me and find me. I peeked around the tree-trunk and didn't see anyone. The forest was quiet, too quiet. Suddenly, I felt arms wrap around my waist and I squealed as I was lifted off the ground. I looked up, smiling, and the handsome man smiled back._

CRASH!

I sat up in bed, startled at the sudden noise. I silently grumbled and slipped out of the covers and into my sandals. I reached for my robe, but decided against it. _It's not like anyone is going to see me in this teensy-tiny nightie anyway_, I assured myself. I slowly tiptoed down the hallway and was shocked when I saw a pool of glass lying on the hardwood floor. In the center of the glass was a rather large rock someone had obviously thrown with the intention of breaking my window! Wait, scratch that. I could hear a lot of voices outside, so this was not just one person's doing. I gritted my teeth and swung open the front door, gasping at what I saw outside.

A crowd of people. On my front lawn. Holding torches, brandishing sticks, and accompanied by makeshift signs that read stuff like:"GET OUTTA HERE, FLOOZIE!" "ONCE A DRUNK, ALWAYS A DRUNK!" "GO BACK TO BABYLON, YOU WHORE!"

_Ouch._ I glared at them."What the devil do you people think you're doing here?"

A rather wide woman stepped out from the pack and and shouted,"Why, getting rid of you , of course!" Her eyes widened as she stared at me."Look at that disgracefulness! And yet the good Madame Mayor of this town still insists that we exaggerate!"

I glanced down at myself and felt my own emerald-green eyes widen in horror. In my rush to get outside, I failed to remember that I was wearing a very provocative slip-on that didn't cover even one-third of my skin. I tried to be casual as I draped some of my long, swooping black hair over my shoulder, in the hopes of covering at least a bit of the low neckline. I sighed and placed my hands on my hips. Could this get any worse?

From the throngs of people surrounding me, I heard a voice call,"What's all the commotion?"

The Sheriff. Great. I silently groaned, remembering the time I took a couple of drinks, back when I was a CIT. The alcohol had gotten to my head and I had been caught, by the Sheriff, doing a drunken striptease. In the middle of the street, in broad daylight.

The woman, leader of the pack, smiled at the Sheriff."Ah, just the man we needed! It's a good thing the jail is just across the street from this hussy's house." She shot me a venomous glare and continued,"We need you to detain her immediately and escort her out of Storybrooke! We don't want her to be the school counselor! Our children deserve better!" The crowd chorused in agreement.

I felt anger bubbling to the surface as I shouted,"Listen up, you old prune! If you think you're _sooooo_ good, then why don't _you_ counsel the children! I'd like to see you get the job without a degree!"

The woman gasped."Why…how dare you!" She quickly stepped forward and gave me a hard slap that left me seeing stars.

'That'll teach her!" Someone from the crowd shouted and they all laughed and cheered.

'I-I…I'll brain you!" I leaped forward and grabbed the woman, yanking her back by the hair. She gave a yelp of surprise and tried to fight back, but I was taller and, let's face it, in better shape than she could ever hope to be in. Suddenly, the throngs of people surrounding us hushed, and I felt something cold and hard against the back of my neck.

"Angie Harper." The Sheriff said grimly."I'm afraid I'll have to detain you. Now, release Mrs. Hubert before you give her reason to press charges for assault."

I reluctantly released my death grip on that old woman and she slumped to the ground, breathing hard.

"That's a good girl." Sheriff Graham stepped forward cautiously; as if I was a wild animal he was afraid of spooking. "Now, be a dear and slip your pretty little wrists into these nice, shiny silver cuffs?" He gave me a winning smile that was obviously intended to turn any female's heart into mush. But not mine.

"No." I gave him a cold, hard look and crossed my arms over my chest."If I promise to behave, I see no need for handcuffs."

He nodded."Fine. But behave yourself." He stepped forward to grab my arm but I quickly stepped back. Giving me an annoyed look, he asked,"What is it _now?_"

I tilted my chin up."I don't understand why _I _am being hauled off to jail when it's pretty obvious that _they_-" I gestured to the now-thinned-out throng of people."-were the ones breaking the law by trespassing! Clearly, you are making a grave mistake."

He shook his head."No, I'm not. They don't need protection. You do."

I huffed."Are you saying that I'm being locked up for my own protection? How stupid is that?!"

Graham shrugged."Call it what you want, but it's for your own good. Come on." He grasped my arm and steered me towards the jail.

"But….at least let me go get my robe or something decent to wear!" I protested.

He smirked."If it's for me, don't worry. I saw you completely naked eight months ago when you did your little show in the street."

My face burned with humiliation and he laughed as he opened the door to his 'office' and pushed me inside. He stopped laughing when he saw people sitting in the chairs in front of his desk, evidently waiting for him. The first person stood up and smiled at him. I recognized her as Regina Mills, the Madame Mayor of Storybrooke. The second person also stood up from his chair, and when he turned to me, I almost gasped aloud. It was him! The man from my dream!


End file.
